Buckingham Athletic 0 Royston Town 3 THE Crows will finish the year at the top of the South Midlands Division One after an excellent victory at lowly Buckingham Athletic with their nearest rivals Kings Langley surprisingly slipping to defeat at Amersham T

Buckingham Athletic 0 Royston Town 3

THE Crows will finish the year at the top of the South Midlands Division One after an excellent victory at lowly Buckingham Athletic with their nearest rivals Kings Langley surprisingly slipping to defeat at Amersham Town.

With the home side installing a new manager in the week and the pitch resembling a ploughed field it was always going be a tricky afternoon for Paul Attfield's side but the eventual scoreline was a very worthy one.

Attfield gave league debuts to teenage wingers Josh Bronti and Jamie Morriss after recent impressive showings, with Jordan Gibson retaining his place in goal.

The game started scrappily with both teams trying to negotiate the surface but Royston's approach was enthusiastic and they battled the elements as well as possible. Buckingham had the first real chance but one of their forwards completely missed a cut back from eight yards with the goal beckoning and Royston gradually applied some authority with Carl Edwards and Arron Welch controlling the midfield quagmire and the pace of Bronti and Morriss out wide starting to take effect.

The Crows took the lead with their first chance with Bronti firing in from 10 yards after some neat build up play in the 21st minute.

Craig Hammond then raced clear but had an effort blocked by the onrushing keeper and Carl Edwards hit an outstanding 20-yard volley that flying towards the top corner before being turned over by the flying keeper.

In the 27th minute the lead was doubled when Hammond released the pacy Morriss down the left and his low cross was turned in by Tom Malins from eight yards.

Royston then continued to have plenty of possession with Bronti a particular threat down the right but the home side defended doggedly to prevent any clear chances despite having to defend some intense late half pressure.

The second half continued enthusiastically with the home side playing an extra player forward and Jordan Gibson had to make one smart block early on after a free kick was not cleared.

With the middle of pitch becoming near on impossible to conduct good football on, Attfield brought on Ryan Lockett and Ricky Young to partner Josh Bronti in a three-man attack and encouraged a longer ball approach to help neutralise the conditions.

The scoring was wrapped up with 30 minutes remaining when Malins forced the goalkeeper into an erratic clearance and Bronti lobbed the ball into the net via the backtracking keeper's hand from 25 yards.

Royston again went on to dominate with Lockett, Young, Bronti and Greg Jackson all missing the target but a tricky away fixture had been negotiated and Royston could be pleased with their overall performance.

Paul Attfield said: "Sometimes over the winter period you have to endure conditions like these and overall I think we done the job extremely well.

"We always felt the first goal would be absolutely crucial but when we scored a double in close proximity that was really big for us and we never looked like relinquishing that advantage.

"Once again we showed good commitment and desire and that in itself was most difficult to handle."

Royston - Gibson, Endacott (Jackson), Apostolos, Debnam, Cain, Edwards, Welch (Lockett), Bronti, Hammond (Young), Malins, Morriss.